Rogue’s Hollow + Serial Killer = Bitter End

This topic is presented for entertainment purposes (mostly mine). It is not intended as scholarly research or as a final authority on the topic. Please enjoy this article for what it is–free information on a topic of interest.

I have been a little scatterbrained this week and failed to focus on one big topic for today’s post. So, instead of having one focused topic, I’m going to give you a birds eye view of the stuff I’ve been looking at.

The Paranormal

A blog reader contacted me about the following topic.

Rogue’s Hollow is a few miles north on Doylestown in Wayne County, Ohio.

It became a boomtown when coal was discovered there in 1840. Rogue’s Hollow developed a reputation as a wild place full of miners, saloons, brothels, dogfights, and just about every other undesirable thing.

By the late 1800s and early 1900s, Rogue’s Hollow was a hideout for outlaws and gangsters. It was out of the way, and no discernible law was there to harass them.

It is thought that the stories of headless horseman, a crybaby bridge, apparitions of miners killed in tragic accidents, giant snakes, and the devil himself were invented to ward away intruders. However, stories can be found all over the internet that claim otherwise.

A book was written by Russell Frey in 1958 titled Rogue’s Hollow: History and Legends. For more information about this book, visit Forgotten OH, which I’ve listed above.

The True Crime

I’ve always heard that Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is one of the scariest movies ever made. Because it is free on Netflix streaming, I decided to test it out for myself.

Summary:

Henry looks like the guy next door. He’s not too handsome. He’s not too homely. He’s polite and likable. He’s a guy your mother would like. But appearances can be deceiving. Henry is a killer, and he’s looking for his next victim.

Watch the Trailer:

Fast Facts about Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer:

The movie was made in 1986 but was not released until 1990 because of disagreements with the MPAA over the violence in the film.

The film’s original rating was X.

Henry was shot on 16mm in less than a month.

It only cost $110,000 to make Henry.

I wont say I enjoyed Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer…because I didn’t. I found it boring, repetitive, and nauseating. I am, however, glad I watched it because now I know what all the fuss is over. The movie is for sale or rent at both Amazon and iTunes.

The most interesting take away for me is that the movie was loosely based on the crimes of Henry Lee Lucas, an American serial killer.

Lucas, a diagnosed psychopath, was arrested in 1983 and eventually convicted of eleven counts of murder. The number of people he claimed to have killed fluctuated anywhere from 30 to 600.

Fast Facts about Henry Lee Lucas:

Lucas’s left eye was glass. The original had been destroyed in a childhood injury.

In 1960, Lucas murdered his mother in the course of a drunken argument.

Lucas’s killing parter, Ottis Toole, was also his lover. The two shared an obsession with rape and death.

Lucas attracted a groupie named Phyllis Wilcox who tried to help him by posing as one of his victims–proving the victim was still alive. It was later learned that Wilcox had also corresponded with John Wayne Gacy and Charles Manson.

Lucas was sentenced to death for the “Orange Socks” murder. Due to lack of evidence, this sentence was eventually commuted to life. Lucas’s was the only death sentence commuted to life by Governor George W. Bush.

Rogue’s Hollow: I’m interested to learn more about Rogue’s Hollow. It might be a fun research/idea gathering project.

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer: I’m sorry I wasted 83 minutes of my life watching it. However, I do want to learn more about Henry Lee Lucas. A few documentaries have been made about him. I’m going to find one and watch it.

The first book in my Peri Jean Mace Ghost Thriller series is FREE right now. Click here to download it from a retailer.

Or join my mailing list. By joining my mailing list, you’ll not only get Forever Road as a free download, you’ll also get a few extra goodies.